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Waterford Family History

Waterford Surname Meaning

Irish and English: habitational name from Waterford (in County Waterford Ireland).

The placename derives from Old Norse vethr ‘wether’ + fjǫrthr ‘inlet’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Waterford family from?

You can see how Waterford families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Waterford family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Waterford families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 7 Waterford families living in Ontario. This was about 78% of all the recorded Waterford's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Waterford families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Waterford surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Waterford ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Waterford. 43% of Waterford men worked as a Farmer and 39% of Waterford women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Waterford were Janitor and Teacher.

View Census Data for Waterford | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

United States shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    43%
  • Porter
    15%
  • Laborer
    15%
  • Janitor
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    39%
  • Housewife
    31%
  • Housekeeper
    16%
  • Teacher
    16%

What Waterford family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Waterford. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Waterford census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Waterford

Passenger Lists

There are 286 immigration records available for the last name Waterford. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Waterford immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 327 military records available for the last name Waterford. For the veterans among your Waterford ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Waterford military records

You've only scratched the surface of Waterford family history

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What is the average Waterford lifespan?

Between 1959 and 2004, in the United States, Waterford life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1970, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Waterford in 1959 was 70, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Waterford

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Waterford ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Waterford family tree

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